★★★★
STUART Bowden unleashes the inner beast below the streets of Adelaide.
THE BEAST
In the whirlwind that is the modern daily grind, it’s sometimes difficult to remember what it was like to be a kid. Thank goodness for theatre. 50-minutes with Stuart Bowden is like being five again; lying on the grass, staring up at the clouds and letting your imagination run wild.
In the whirlwind that is the modern daily grind, it’s sometimes difficult to remember what it was like to be a kid. Thank goodness for theatre. 50-minutes with Stuart Bowden is like being five again; lying on the grass, staring up at the clouds and letting your imagination run wild.
Bowden is one half of award-winning duo The Lounge Room Confabulators and Dr Brown Brown Brown Brown Brown - The Kids' Show. His 2012 solo show tells the story of Winslow – a thoughtful, misunderstood beast making his way through life with wide-eyed inquisitiveness. Touching in simplicity, he brings the creature’s many layers to life through song and the sounds of a ukulele looped through a keyboard. The storytelling flow is interrupted when sounds from neighbouring shows drift across the stage - but the beast battles on.
What exactly is Winslow? Maybe he’s the child inside, our subconscious or the curious critter in the cavity of our chest. Only your imagination can answer that one. I walked out of the little Tuxedo Cat Blue Room wiping a tear from my eye, reluctant to join the bustle of reality outside.
We’re telling our mates… this little gem of escapism leaves you feeling a little bit sad but very much alive.
Rating: 4/5 Mall Balls
The Beast
Written and performed by Stuart Bowden
Tuxedo Cat – Blue Room
Runs until March 17.
Tickets: adelaidefringe.com.au